Blurb

A stranger online. Dark hair and even darker eyes that knew my dirty desires before I did.
A fantasy that should never be spoken. But he pulled the confession from me.
And now he’s coming for me.
Rough. Dirty. Dangerous.
It’s supposed to be one night to get me off and make me forget.
He’ll make me his and I’ll pretend I don’t want him to.
I’ll run and he’ll chase.
Because I asked him for this.
I begged him for this.

Tonight, in the darkness, he’s the hunter.
And I’m the bait.

🌹 My Review 🌹

I’m a new reader of Jade West, admittedly because I’m often disappointed by all the hype – that was so not the case this time! New reader, and definitely a new fan. I will commence with the cyber-stalking momentarily, first my review…

Abigail Summers is crazy effed up – seriously. She doesn’t even deny it. She’s fully aware that her needs, desires, fantasies, are borderline psychotic in their insanity. After suffering a horrendous, emotionally and physically gutting experience, she’s run to a new town, new job, to start a new life. Yet, she’s not living. She’s merely going through the motions, skimming the surface without any desire to sink below the surface, because nothing makes her feel alive anymore. Nothing, except for the monster who haunts her dreams. The one she’s been running from most of her life. The one she stopped hoping to escape, and yearns to finally feel the terror of being caught, of being ripped to shreds…anything to feel alive again. Her dreams never let her get that far, so she takes the chance of finding her monster for real by confessing her fantasy with a new online profile. It was crazy stupid, she knows that, and the first 20 or so responses she gets only confirms it. Then, Phoenix Burning replies.

Leo Scott is still burning, scars itching, trapped in that inferno in every possible way. He’s stuck in the aftermath of a real life nightmare that cost him the woman he loved, the brother he used to know, and nearly the business they’d all built together. For over a year, he’d done nothing but focus on the latter, putting all of his blood, sweat and time into rebuilding Scott Brothers from the ashes. His son won’t talk, his sister won’t listen, and his brother won’t stop seeking vengeance. Every day, seven days a week, it’s the same routine. He runs…and never gets anywhere. Because, the guilt won’t let him. Because, the one night he chose not to chase Mariana, was the night he couldn’t run fast enough to save her…to save any of them. When he reads the girl’s online profile, reads her fantasy, he swears it could’ve been Mariana’s ghost who’d penned it and the monster he’d long since buried wakes up with a vengeance. Bait wants the chase, wants what comes after, and Leo’s monster is more than willing to make her nightmares come true.

Maybe then, they can both start feeling alive again.

We all get preconceived notions about a book by its blurb or cover, and let me tell you – they won’t do you any good with Bait. This book was INTENSE. It will lure you in, captivate you and then it will make you squirm, sweat, your heart will race, you will be sublimely uncomfortable, start questioning your own mind and you’ll love every freaking minute of it. The pacing was perfect, allowing the reader to really get in, get deep into each character before their world’s actually collide – and that was such a thrill for me.

This book is not a quickie. I wasn’t able to read it all in one sitting, but had to walk away, give myself a moment to breathe and absorb, before rushing back to find out what happened next. The emotions of each character are full, heady, dripping off the pages – Leo’s are more vibrant and in your face than Abigail’s, but only because he’s dealing with other people who were just as affected by his tragic past as he is.

I won’t add spoilers, just know that this book has everything you could ever want. Drama, suspense, dark, heart-pounding and enticing erotica, the PIERCINGS, OMG – gripping emotions, family turmoil, realistic character development, tragedy, friendships, heart – it will make you feel insane and happy to be there – and then, when you think it couldn’t get any better, it will still manage to surprise you.

Read it!

♥ This is an Honest Review of a book that I purchased. I was not given any kind of compensation from the author in exchange for it, to include an ARC.

♥ My Review ♥

Warning: This review has some unavoidable spoilers, read at your own risk or better yet, just read the book!

This was a very light read and a nice change of pace. It’s not a fast read, because the book is full length, but Normandie’s style flows so smoothly I read it all in one sitting – albeit, an all day sitting – but I enjoyed it too much to put down!

Marley (or Harley) is one of those protagonists that’s easy to relate to and I never felt so disappointed in her reactions or decisions that I ended up disliking her. She’s levelheaded, mature and despite knowing the tragedy of loss and the neglect of an alcoholic parent, she doesn’t let those things define her. Like James notes in the book, she never feels sorry for herself or her situation, she just trudges onward. Even her one questionable idea that ended badly was something I found realistic and could relate to. She just wanted to show James how grateful she was for all he’d given her, and felt she had nothing else to offer. How she reacts afterward was a bit too drastic for her character, but I think the author built her prior emotional state up enough to make it as equally understandable, as it was questionable.

James LeBlanc is a good Daddy Dom, maybe a little too good, but he’s also a veteran in the lifestyle so that makes it more believable. I liked that he was family-oriented with a big group of friends. That was an excellent balance to Marley’s solitary existence, and was a way he could provide a more wholesome life for her, other than just having money.

Unfortunately, he dropped the ball when it came to Marley’s bad ‘Christmas present’ idea. Especially, since part of it took place in his POV where he’d thought about how it’s his job to be able to read a sub’s body language – yet ends up completely missing all the signs of Marley’s sudden change in demeanor?

Yes, I can see this “Christmas present” scene playing out in real life. There wasn’t anything unrealistic about it – but it was a jumble of mistakes a “vanilla” couple with no prior BDSM experience would make – not a seasoned Dom and an experienced “little girl” in between Daddy’s. Marley was the only newbie in the room, so why was she being deferred to by the ‘experienced ones’ and allowed to lead the party, especially with no prior discussion or ground rules being set into place? The two biggest things that struck me as really off was, James didn’t use a condom, even though the author made sure to include that between him and Marley earlier on, which I appreciated – here he is with a woman he’s never met before, and he doesn’t suit up? That was a pretty big oversight.

Two, the playing didn’t stop when Marley left the room. That should’ve been immediate or James shouldn’t have allowed her to leave – or better yet, her wanting to leave, should’ve been a big slap in the face that something was seriously wrong.

Misunderstandings happen, I get it, but this felt more like an attempt to add tension between the characters, when all it really did was go against the personalities I’d been reading up to that point. At the same time, I honestly don’t want to make a mountain out of a mole-hill, when it’s such a tiny blip in the grand scheme of an otherwise, very enjoyable read.

I did wince every time Marley called James “Daddy” out in public with no care as to who was listening. If there was anything unrealistic about this book, that would’ve been it, not only that he didn’t put a stop to it, but it wasn’t headline news in the Dallas society pages the next day. He was known by sight at Neiman Marcus, but no one thought to call the gossip columns? Eh… It was kind of sweet and romantic why he didn’t shut her up, though, so I didn’t get too hung up on it.

In conclusion, this is the perfect book if you’re looking for a break from high-strung emotions or suspenseful action. It wasn’t overly deep, and Marley doesn’t spend enough time with any of the other characters to feel a real connection to them, rather it keeps the focus on her and James’s relationship. I definitely felt their connection all the way through the book, and that’s the important part. Their chemistry never faltered and I loved that.

There was nothing super tense, or dramatic and it won’t pull on any of your deeper emotions, but if you like well-paced, sweet reads with kink that make you smile more than anything else, you’ll definitely enjoy Daddy Morebucks!

Available on Kindle Unlimited

♥ This is an Honest Review of a book I purchased. I was not given any kind of compensation from the author in exchange for it, to include an ARC.

Greetings and welcome to my very first interview on The Hot Seat! This is a brand new program where I get to take our favorite Heroes and Heroines and put them in the hot seat for some much desired insights and a bit of fun trivia. Results are bound to vary!

My first guest is Jax from the stand-alone, Erotic SciFi Romance: “Hers, Untamed” by Anna Adler.

AC: Thank you for taking time out of your busy, plotting-to-escape, schedule to be with us today, Jax.

(Jax gives me a bland expression.)

For those who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Jax yet, let me give you a visual. He’s a 6’3″ alien-human hybrid with dark brown hair, pale blue reptilian eyes and patches of brown and blue scales on his impressive, muscled arms. (Fans self) Okay, down to business!

AC: Jax, can you tell us a little more about yourself? Where you’re from and how you ended up in your situation?

Jax: Where I’m from? That’s none of your business. And how I ended up in a cage, on a planet colonized by humans who think I’m a sex pet? That’s none of your business, either.

AC: Uh-huh. Well, what’s your view on relationships, then?

Jax: I don’t do relationships.

AC: Apparently, I need to refocus the questions here… Be honest, what was your first impression upon meeting Alyssa?

Jax: Well, she’s hot as hell. A pretty face and curves to die for. I wanted to get my hands on her for sure. But she bought me from a pet training center like a piece of meat, and now I’m stuck in a cage in her apartment.

AC: Would you say Alyssa has changed your previous views on relationships, or confirmed them?

Jax: You call this a relationship? Well, I’ve never been bought before, I can tell you that. I’m wearing a collar and she calls me her pet, and she thinks there’s nothing wrong with that. This messed up situation has nothing to do with any relationship I had in mind. The only good thing about it is that she’s gorgeous and she finds me sexy. I could have some fun with her if only I got rid of this damn collar and got out of the cage.

AC: I’m really sure you could. Are you a social, family guy, workaholic or a little of each?

Jax: I do what I do. ’Nuff said.

AC: (Gives Jax an exasperated look.)If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Jax: I don’t need to fucking change. Okay fine, Alyssa says I should clean up my language. And maybe my manners could use some brushing up. I’ve been alone in space for too long.

AC: You don’t say. What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a human-alien hybrid?

Jax: Favorite part? Just wait until you see what I can do with my tongue. My least favorite part? Every race I’ve encountered considers us hybrids nothing but rejects. I mean, every race outside the Silenian humans that is. Alyssa and her people love hybrids, which is cool. I like that.

AC: If Alyssa was sitting here, what would she say is your best quality, and would you agree with her?

Jax: She seems to think I’m hot because I’m half alien. I’ve got these funny pale eyes with narrow pupils and some reptilian scales on my arms…most people think I’m a mongrel because of it, but Alyssa and the other Silenians are crazy about such things. Go figure. I don’t mind being considered hot. That’s actually great.

AC: Speaking of being hot, can you describe your ideal lover?

Jax: Alyssa. Naked.

AC: (Laughs.)That’s very succinct, Jax, thank you. If the way to a man’s heart really is through his stomach, what dish would lure…er…make you come back for more?

Jax: Not Alyssa’s cooking, that’s for sure. I bet that woman never cooked in her life, so I don’t get why she insists on cooking for me. Healthy food, my ass. If I had any say in this, she would just order me a pizza.

AC: What kind of music do you listen to?

Jax: Anything, as long as it’s loud.

AC: Fans are dying to know: Boxers, briefs or commando?

Jax: Boxers, except that Alyssa’s so eager to get me out of them I don’t know why I bother.

AC: What’s the #1 item on your Bucket List?

Jax: Number one item? Escape Silenia. Number two? I want a woman. Someone who’s all mine and stays mine. I never had that before. Alyssa would do.

AC: If you could travel anywhere in the universe, where would it be?

Jax: I can travel anywhere in the universe. That is, I was able to go anywhere I fucking wanted before Silenian pet hunters caught me and stuck me in a cage.

AC: That didn’t answer the question, Jax, but okay, moving on. Outside of Alyssa, who are the most important people in your life?

Jax: I have a few friends…and friends of friends. But most of the time, I’m on my own.

AC: What is your greatest regret?

Jax: I don’t do regrets.

AC: Name one of your guilty pleasures, then.

Jax: Real meat. None of that soy meat stuff that’s the standard source of protein these days. Even though it’s pretty decent if you know how to cook it. I like real meat, bloody. And cold beer.

AC: What is the one thing in this world you would never do?

Jax: I would never actually hurt Alyssa.

AC: (Refrains from getting sappy.)Are you keeping a secret? You can share it with us, we won’t tell.

Jax: I ain’t answering that. Next question.

AC: Fine, but this is the big one: What would you do to win Alyssa’s heart?

Jax: Hell, there’s a lot I would do for her, if only she’d let me out of the cage. She’s my dream woman, but she needs to learn that keeping people as pets against their will is not right. I don’t care what the Silenian law says.

Well, there you have it readers, straight from the man, himself (despite his reluctance). If you haven’t read Jax and Alyssa’s sizzling SciFi yet – what are you waiting for? It’s PermaFree! Besides, you really should see what the man can do with his tongue…

Alyssa Cressfield always wanted a pet—a big, sexy man who would look impressive on a leash. Now, she is finally ready to realize her dream. She visits a pet training center, intending to buy a trained pet. Instead she finds Jax, a fierce human-alien hybrid freshly caught from space, still untamed and unbroken. Alyssa has never encountered an untamed pet before. She can’t resist temptation; she must have him.

On Silenia, it is customary for humans to keep other intelligent species as pets and sex toys. Alyssa is kind at heart, but she is a product of her society and therefore sees nothing wrong with keeping a man in a cage against his will. Jax, on the other hand, is a space pirate who now finds himself wearing a collar and being treated like property. He has no intention of turning tame and obedient, and a battle of wills ensues. Jax and Alyssa quickly discover their undeniable chemistry, but is it enough to reconcile them? What happens when the pet breaks out of his cage?

By now most of you know this has nothing to do with food and everything to do with your WIPs or published books! If not, then check out the original post HERE for the purpose. No time like the present to join in – just leave a pingback in the comments below so we can check out your post!

Now for the fun parts…

Writer’s Menu

Onions: Not everyone cries when they cut onions: share an outside-influence type circumstance/object that caused a character to tear up – or – notably didn’t, when they should have.

The moment they stopped moving and the shadows spat them out into an unlit room, Zoe went back to struggling and cursing her abductor. Beyond his enticing scent and the warmth of his unyielding body was the fragrance of a floral sweetened breeze and the kind of heavy, humid heat that immediately brought the deep south to mind. Where they were and why it was dark, Zoe had no clue. She could see through large, mostly undressed windows that it was a moonless night, yet it had just been morning in New York a second ago.

“I’m sorry it had to be this way, little doe,” Hex said at last. “If you’d quiet down, I could explain–”

Fuming one last time, Zoe stopped fighting and screaming. She didn’t need him to explain what she already knew, but she wasn’t about to miss the chance to get free of his hold. After several moments, he slowly pulled his hand away from her mouth. She remained perfectly still, until he released her completely. The second he did, she whirled and doused him right in the eyes with the pepper spray.

He stood there with his lids closed and patiently waited for her to finish, when what he should have been doing, was screaming in searing, tearful agony while begging her for mercy!

Once the can was depleted, he lifted the hem of his t-shirt to wipe the chemical from his face. Zoe tried and failed to ignore the fact that he was finally solid. That the veil of shadows had retreated completely and despite the natural darkness, she was seeing him fully for the first time. Along with the delicious display of hard packed abs and mouthwatering chest he revealed by using his shirt like a towel.

Pepper spray dripped onto the bridge of his nose from his bangs, where the most inhumanly pale eyes of silver peeked out at her. Hex traced his finger over the droplet, then stuck it into his mouth and made a sour face.

“That’s disgusting,” he remarked. “What is its purpose?”

“AAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!” Zoe blew her cool, throwing the spent canister across the room.

~ #WIP Hexed (Hell on Earth, #4)

Reader’s Menu

Onions: Name a favorite book you read where a character was brought to tears by an outside influence (ex: poked in the eye, thick smoke, laughing too hard, etc.) -or- where a character was notably incapable of being brought to tears for any reason.

The first book that comes to mind is Black Dog Nights by Ren Monterrey (a pen name of Karen M. Bryson). This was the second story I’d read in her The Club series, the first being Sapphire Beautiful. “The Club” is an exclusive, highly secure and anonymous company that allows rich men to hire girlfriends, and they each have their personal reasons why they would even need this kind of service. The women are vetted carefully and usually have a desperate, last-resort purpose for even applying for this money-making opportunity. (This might go the other way, as well, but in the books I’ve read, it’s always been a rich man and poor woman).

As unrealistic as that sounds, Ren Monterrey never fails to make her male protagonists uniquely different from any other main male character out there on the market (mine, included! LOL). In Black Dog Nights, Jae Rothko is no exception–but it takes some reading to discover that. By all appearances, he’s just another cookie-cutter wealthy and successful man blessed with gorgeous looks and unparalleled skills in the bedroom that lean heavily toward dominant.

Then we learn that Jae’s issue is medical and incurable. That he’s incapable of expressing emotions of any kind. It’s not that he doesn’t feel them, he just lacks the chemical in his brain that triggers everyone else in the world to display their feelings. Which, tends to have all of his lovers accusing him of being an emotionally stunted Alpha-Hole who just wants to regard them as possessions without any heart. Awww…poor Jae. By the way, that wasn’t too much of a spoiler, so don’t let it stop you from reading, there’s plenty more to the story than that.

I haven’t read all of Ren’s books and while I tend to find some things to nit-pick in each of those I have, they’re all truly good, HEA erotica stories that are definitely worth reading just to get a break from the same ol’, same ol’ when it comes to male leads!

♥ Next week’s ingredient is…Tomato!

Tomato for the Writer: Embarrassment and/or ridicule often play a part in our character’s journey. What was one of your main character’s inescapable, red-faced moments?

Tomato for the Reader: Share a book you’ve read where you were so embarrassed for the main character by something they themselves did or where they were ridiculed so badly, it left a lasting scar impression on you.

Taco Tuesday is back! I’ve missed the last couple of weeks, so for those just tuning in, this is a fun way to share your WIPs or published works on the Writer Menu -and/or- share your favorite books on the Readers Menu. Check out the original post HERE for the objectives. There’s absolutely no time limit for you to join in, just remember to leave a pingback to your post in the comments below, so I can check it out!

This week’s ingredient is…

Writer’s Menu

Lettuce:Share anytime money was used, stolen, given, exchanged or otherwise the main topic of conversation in a significant way.

“Lay on the bed exactly how I instructed last night,” he ordered.

Tessa turned her back to him and started crawling across the mattress, moving things out of her path along the way. Her hand landed on a computer printout that read Receipt of Purchase at the top. She was ready to dismiss it as belonging to the items Remy had just delivered, until she saw her own name. Pausing, she read the whole thing.

It was dated and time stamped for that morning, which meant it had been one of the ‘important’ things he’d taken care of while allowing her to sleep in. Even if she’d been right in her assumptions, going back to the auction had never been an option. Her submission had already been purchased for the entire week.

“What is this?” she asked, turning and holding the paper up for him to see.

He studied her in silence, his expression guarded. “I thought we agreed last night that you weren’t going back to auction.”

“But seventy thousand dollars?” she jabbed the paper with her finger. “Scratch that, eighty thousand, because you already paid that ridiculous bid last night!”

“And if you went back, Tessa, it would be triple that, because I would never let anyone outbid me for you,” he countered with a ring of finality.

Oh, sweet mother of pearl. She’d really never had the option of not being his sub. That insight made her extremely grateful they’d cleared the air, but it still felt strange knowing her own price. Harder to accept he’d be willing to pay more. She wasn’t that fucking special. Not enough to warrant an eighty-grand price tag! That’s what her brain said, but it touched her in other ways she was completely defenseless against. Ways that, just like trying to anticipate his next move, were absolutely reckless.

Not knowing what else to say, she simply shook her head. “That’s just… that’s way too much money, Master.” She was incapable of expressing the depth of that fact.

He smirked in disagreement, plucking the paper from her hand.

“No, my little fox, it’s not,” he debated, mild amusement edged in warning. “Now, lay down and spread your legs, before I’m tempted to show my pet why it’s not in her best interest to question her Master’s spending habits.”

~ #WIP Scavenger (Dark Day Isle, #2)

Reader’s Menu

Lettuce:Share a favorite book/series where money played a significant role in dialogue, the story line, or was used as a thrilling plot twist. (The more unique the situation, the bigger the cool points).

I know I already used J.D. Robb a few weeks back, but since the genres are different between her pseudonyms, I think it’s only fair I get to use a Nora Roberts book this week! (My game, my rules. See how that works? 😀 )

The Winning Hand, which was one of the late books introduced to Nora Roberts’s MacGregor series, was by far the absolute best rags-to-riches romance I’ve ever read – Want to know why? Because, Darcy doesn’t become rich by marrying some billionaire, she simply has a stroke of good luck when she’s at rock bottom.

Stumbling into the Comanche casino in Vegas, after her car brakes down in the desert and no one will give her a lift, Darcy’s only worldly possessions are a handbag and three lousy bucks. She’s hungry, dehydrated and looks like she just climbed out of a dystopian bunker. Some kind of heat stroke dizziness is going on, but she’s dazzled by all the bright lights and noises of her very first casino, more so by doing the first outrageous thing in her entire meek existence, so plunks the last dollars to her name into the Comanche’s biggest jackpot slot machine – and wins!

To make this story even more awesome, Darcy then proves to everyone that she’s highly capable of taking that money and using it to fulfill her dreams without the help of her ex-douchebag boyfriend (who shows up to claim her, and “their” winnings after it hits the news) or even her new love interest, Robert “Mac” MacGregor Blade (the manager and heir of the Comanche casino). She’s a woman who knows exactly what she wants and how to wisely invest her winnings to make sure she gets and keeps it for the rest of her life.

That makes this book one of the most realistic rags-to-riches stories available, because let’s face it – the odds of winning big a the casino are higher than meeting and marrying a billionaire. Especially, a hot-as-hell, half-Comanche-half-Scottish casino running billionaire with a good heart and a lot of…um…stamina resources.

♥ Next week’s ingredient is…Onions!

Onions for Writer’s Menu: Not everyone cries when they cut onions: share an outside-influence type circumstance/object that caused a character to tear up – or – notably didn’t, when they should have.

Onions for Reader’s Menu: Name a favorite book you read where a character was brought to tears by an outside influence (ex: poked in the eye, thick smoke, laughing too hard, etc.) -or- where a character was notably incapable of being brought to tears for any reason.

It’s nearly impossible to escape the influx of BDSM themed novels since the popularity was heavily increased by a certain trilogy that will go unnamed. I’m not here to add fuel to fires on either side of the Love/Hate line – but I have seen a lot of reviews and discussions that lead me to believe not many people actually understand what they might be getting by choosing to read a BDSM novel. You might have an inkling or preset expectation due to one of these situations:

Perhaps, you’ve read a light-hearted romance that had a little kink thrown in, a little handcuffing and mild spanking? That is not BDSM.

Maybe you read that one (or all gazillion) about the Billionaire with control issues and a loosely assembled contract he/she never actually follows and set of rules he/she fails to properly enforce, because his/her love/lust for this desired-after sub is enough to have them throwing all their previous unyielding, closed-off ways out the window to become an ordinary lover with a kinky side. This, unfortunately, is the new standard in Fictitious BDSM – it is not even remotely close to Real Life BDSM. No, seriously.

However, this is not a post designed to persuade you either way. This is simply a guideline for readers. A piece of advice, if you will, that if you’re unsure what a novel tagged as BDSM might entail, the best place to start is to take a look at the name, itself…

Bondage/DSM

Most likely a BDSM novel will have bondage scenes, whether this is with traditional equipment such as a St. Andrews Cross, Spanking Bench or the good ol’ leather shackles attached to the bedposts. Sometimes the bondage will be creative and will include items that are readily at hand, such as a woman’s stockings, a man’s tie or a pair of panties.

Bondage serves the purpose of giving a dominant control over the body, while keeping a submissive in a state of vulnerability. It is equally a fetish for both parties, as much as it can be used to build trust and break down a submissive’s self-preservation walls in order to hand more control (power) of themselves over to their dominant.

At its heart, BDSM is a Fetishist Community made up of kinksters in various levels of Power-Exchange dynamics. It is all Consensual, but still takes time to develop like any other relationship. To help expedite that, kink is used just as much for pleasure as it is for forging those bonds.

B/Discipline/SM

This is the one I see people having the most trouble with. For most readers, it’s completely okay for a submissive to get sensual spankings detailed as a kind of foreplay, but the moment their bottoms are getting whipped for stepping out of line, readers are screaming abuse.

It’s difficult to address this issue without actually diving deep into Real Life BDSM, which would bore readers to tears. Discipline is an important part of Behavior Modification and every D/s dynamic is employing some form of Behavior Modification, because it is desired by both parties. Discipline comes in as many forms as you can possibly think of from the mild end of being put in a corner, to the extreme end of being ignored by their dominant, and every spanking, humiliation or orgasm denial in between.

In novels, unfortunately, a writer is limited to what keeps the readers interested, and the story from falling flat. For BDSM novels, the ‘tension’ between lovers is often expressed when the Discipline comes into play. Spankings with hands, belts, whips, floggers and riding crops are the go-to Discipline trope in all Fictitious BDSM novels – to make it worse, when used as the source of ‘tension’ between characters, Discipline only ever seems to happen when the ‘Dominant’ is angry. Hitting anyone out of anger is absolutely abuse. Also, I’d like to note here that any Kink played while a dominant or submissive is under the influence of drugs or alcohol is also crossing into an area that can be deemed as abuse – and in my own personal opinion, that goes for straight up vanilla sex, as well. A person’s mental state should not have to be altered in order to gain consent.

Neither one of these popularly used instances in fiction would ever actually fly in Real Life BDSM. A sub would walk out and never return and possibly report the Dom/Domme to their community’s authority, if not smear their name through the Kinkster social media mud.

If you find that you can’t handle reading a BDSM novel where Discipline is used to enforce/reinforce rules, not out of anger, but possibly disappointment or simply just for discipline itself, then perhaps BDSM really isn’t a genre for you, because that is a very large part of BDSM and goes back to the whole Behavior Modification aspect.

BD/Sadism/M

Not all BDSM novels touch on the extreme end of the Sadism spectrum. For instance, Daddy/Mommy Doms/Dommes don’t tend to have many Sadistic qualities. They’re nurturers and providers, they mainly lean heavily on Behavior Modification, and their Disciplinary actions tend to favor compassionate techniques, rather than straight out lashings, though spanking does typically play a big role in these novels. This is ‘typical’ not to say that a Daddy Dom novel won’t boast an extremely sadistic Daddy, so just make sure to read a book’s blurb or use the ‘Peak Inside’ feature to make certain.

As with all things, Sadism is individual and can range from mild to extreme, and it is not always a physical need to inflict pain. Sadists get their pleasures in many forms, including Denial, Degradation and Humiliation- or any combination thereof. Inflicting extreme pain is, of course, a typical Sadist’s desire in BDSM novels, so again, just make sure you read any Trigger warnings the author has taken the time to put in place (hopefully).

BDS/Masochism

Masochism plays a really small part in most Fictitious BDSM novels, I’ve noticed. It seems to be more popular for the ‘sub’ to not be a masochist at all, but still ends up craving the sexual pleasures derived from being dominated or even (mildly) disciplined. This stems from our societies belief that Masochism is a ‘Weakness,’ when all it really is, is basic biology just like any another personality trait.

Like Sadism, Masochism levels can vary and does not always have to do with craving pain. Some masochists thoroughly enjoy being degraded, abandoned, denied and humiliated, just to name a few. In the seldom BDSM novels I’ve read where Masochism actually does come into play, though, it’s typically of the pain-craving variety.

While the truth behind the genre can be found in the name, BDSM can also depend on the rest of the genre. Supernatural/Paranormal creatures, for example, are probably going to explore the extreme ends of all BDSM, because they’re stronger, more resilient and this gives the writer more leeway to explore areas they can’t necessarily delve into with ordinary human characters – without someone ending up in the hospital or dead.

Realistically, whether an author does their research or has actual BDSM experience, it all boils down to Word Count limits and keeping the story flowing, with plenty of tension between characters – Therefore, the more a writer tries to implement Real Life BDSM scenes, the more readers lose interest. That’s the unfortunate truth, because Real Life BDSM is time consuming and everything is discussed and agreed upon BEFORE any kinky stuff even begins to happen. Before any clothing is shed – if it’s shed during a D/s couples first scene together at all, which is unlikely. Sexual intercourse is also a rare reality in an actual BDSM scene.

Just remember to shop smart, watch out for genre tags: Any time a book is tagged “Dark” or “Taboo” that means it is going to cover areas not very many people are comfortable with or can handle. Also, watch for Trigger/Content warnings and take advantage of the “Peak Inside” feature. This might not only give you a better idea of what kind of BDSM novel it is, but also an example of the writer’s style. I love that feature, really and rely on it far more than reviews or blurbs.

♥ Hope everyone had a great Cinco De Mayo weekend and are fully recovered from the excessive Tequila consumption! LOL 😉